CRAIG Dickson could be in line for the biggest payday of his boxing career on Friday night when he takes part in Prizefighter III at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

And he reckons it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Paisley puncher is one of eight of Britain’s top welterweights who will battle it out for the £25,000 top prize and the lucrative title with the event being screened live on Sky Sports.

And with Craig’s wife Karen expecting baby number two in mid-December he is all too aware just how much is at stake when he steps into the ring.

However, with Prizefighter’s unique concept, which consists of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all being decided on the night in a series of three-minute three-round fights, the 29-year-old knows he can’t look further than that first bell.

Dickson told Express Sports: “It’s a different concept entirely and with the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship boxing has had to do something different to compete.

“From what I’ve read the last two Prizefighters have drawn three times the viewing figures that other boxing shows get on Sky Sports which is quite impressive.

“It’s going to be very difficult and you can’t afford to look further ahead than that first fight because if you lose it that’s it over.

“What I’ve done is make myself as fit as I can be and in my head I know what I’ll do.

“I’ve tried to listen to the experience of the heavyweights who took part in the first two Prizefighters and I know one of the most important things on the night is concentration.

“You also need to be physically fit and to help I’ve been pounding the steps at Love Street to put extra strength in my legs.

“But that £25,000 prize is a great incentive especially when you’re married and have a boy with another kid due in the middle of December.”

Dickson will be up against stiff opposition in London with former IBO world light-middleweight champion Steve Conway, ex-European light-welterweight title holder Ted Bami and former English champions Ross Minter and Nigel Wright among those he will have to get past to claim the grand prize.

The Paisley fighter knows he won’t be considered the favourite but he says that suits him.

And after enlisting the help of sports psychologist Alan Curley, who famously helped Kevin McIntyre become British welterweight champion, Dickson feels ready to upset the odds.

He added: “All the guys taking part are in the top 20 in Britain so there are no easy fights.

“I’m expecting folk to look past me. A few will maybe be thinking I’m one they don’t have to worry about.

“Being the dark horse is fine by me. If someone thinks past me they’re not giving me their concentration.

“I’ve been working with Alan Curley, on hypnotism and focussing my mind and that’s been an education.

“It sounds daft but I’ve probably spent the last six years of my boxing career not thinking. The problem before is in my head when somebody has hit me hard I’ve wanted to hit them back twice as hard.

“It’s like a red rag to a bull and in that situation you lose your composure. That’s something we’ve been working on.”

Dickson knows a victory would put him back in the title mix at welterweight and while he would never fight stablemate McIntyre, who will attempt to regain his British crown next month, he believes success on Friday could open the door to a Commonwealth title shot against Manchester’s Craig Watson.

He said: “Something like this can open doors for you. It puts you in the picture. Obviously Kevin’s going for the British title and I hope he wins that but the Commonwealth title is something that I could look at down the line if Prizefighter goes well.

“If Kevin wins back the British title and I could win the Commonwealth I think our trainer Colin Bellshaw would be in dreamland.

“But I can’t even look past the first round of Prizefighter because of what’s at stake. And whatever happens I’m going to have a couple of months out after it with my wife being pregnant.”